MANKATO -- Sage Rosenfels insisted Friday that the whole Brett Favre situation and the fact that Rosenfels eventually might be the odd man out is something that he isn't thinking about.

However, after watching Rosenfels in the past two practices, it's pretty clear something isn't right. Rosenfels was picked off four times in the night practice on Saturday and threw two more interceptions in Sunday's single practice. He nearly had a third pass picked off but linebacker Heath Farwell could not hold onto the ball.

Vikings coach Brad Childress said after Sunday's practice that it's a double-edged sword when it comes to breaking down Rosenfels' play.

"We want [our quarterbacks] to be extremely aggressive because you want to be able to see what they can do and what the wide receiver or tight end they are throwing it to can do," Childress said. "Now, do you want them to take care of the ball with all of that said? Yeah, I don't want them to nurse it around. ... I certainly don't like the fact that he's had balls intercepted and taken the other way.

"You look to try and explain it. Is it because you are doing it just the way we asked you to and try and stick a ball out there to a guy to see where he's at? We're also asking him to play down and distance football because we don't ever practice a play that doesn't have a down or a distance on it. I would like to see the interceptions come back."

The issue for the Vikings is that they need Rosenfels to have a good camp because that could help increase his trade value. If and when Favre returns, it seems logical the Vikings would try to deal Rosenfels to a team that realizes it needs help at quarterback. Best case scenario would be for the Vikings to get a conditional draft pick for Rosenfels that would be determined by how much he played for another team.

However, if he continues to struggle in camp, and eventually in preseason games, that is going to make it tough to get much in return.

A few other items from Sunday:

  • Jamarca Sanford again got extensive work with the first team on Sunday at strong safety -- another indication he's going to get a chance to try to take the job away from Tyrell Johnson. "It's certainly competitive -- it's a competitive position," Childress said. "[Sanford] is getting snaps and he's doing good things with them. I think it will play itself out when we start tackling people to the ground."
  • Center John Sullivan (right leg) and cornerback Benny Sapp (unknown) did not practice Sunday. Sullivan got kicked in the leg on Saturday night. Center Jon Cooper, a second-year player from Oklahoma, got the first-team work with Sullivan on the sidelines. Sapp left Saturday's practice for a brief period because of what he called cramps. Childress does not have to say what's wrong with players at this point and he did not reveal Sapp's injury when asked Sunday.
  • Safety Husain Abdullah has been known for his special teams play but he's made an impression on defense in the first few days of camp. Abdullah picked off his third pass in the past two days on Sunday and is clearly trying to show the coaching staff his value extends beyond special teams
  • Childress said the Vikings will go live and wear full pads for the first time Tuesday morning. Childress, however, isn't that sold on full-padded practices being that big of deal because many players don't wear any padding in their pants and football pants are the only real addition. Practices are often held in shoulder pads and shorts. Sunday's practice was about as light of workout as guys can get. They wore shorts and shells.
  • You could hardly blame Vikings players and coaches if they held their collective breath after seeing middle linebacker E.J. Henderson collide awkwardly with safety Terrell Skinner in the end zone while defending a pass in 7-on-7. Henderson, who is returning from a broken leg, jumped up immediately after the collision and appeared to be fine.